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The FAL Files Forums  »  Discussion Forums » Gear & Accessories » Best light for a Benelli M4
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Topic: Best light for a Benelli M4
jimmbob
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Old Post July 16, 2010 21:27    Click Here to See the Profile for jimmbob   Click here to Send jimmbob a Private Message   Click Here to Email jimmbob     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #1
What's everyones opinion for the best HIGH quality light for a 12 guage? Money no object, cause ya get what ya pay for pretty much.

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Bama Steve
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Old Post July 17, 2010 02:32    Click Here to See the Profile for Bama Steve   Click here to Send Bama Steve a Private Message       Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #2
Sunshine, sunshine.

I shoot trap & Skeet so I see no need to illuminate this thing - if you are shooting in the dark you need an area weapon - use your imagination . . .

Nothing like a stock-less shorty 10 GA Mossberg or claymore or sumthin' . . .



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J. Armstrong
Wingmanjim
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FALaholic # 13629

Old Post July 17, 2010 02:35    Click Here to See the Profile for J. Armstrong   Click here to Send J. Armstrong a Private Message   Click Here to Email J. Armstrong     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #3
I think the object here is NOT to have to shoot in the dark - that's what the light is for !! ........just sayin'

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Bama Steve
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Old Post July 17, 2010 02:39    Click Here to See the Profile for Bama Steve   Click here to Send Bama Steve a Private Message       Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #4
Uh, you're right - I apologize . . .

Turn the lights on!



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jimmbob
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Old Post July 17, 2010 02:40    Click Here to See the Profile for jimmbob   Click here to Send jimmbob a Private Message   Click Here to Email jimmbob     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #5
Thanks fer the interesting reply Bama, I am now enlightened

Yes, J. Armstrong. I know nothing of lights for guns and am interested in the best quality one for a 12 guage. Might need my shotgun at night time, possibly. And not to shoot at things flying away from me thru the air

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Bama Steve
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Old Post July 17, 2010 02:49    Click Here to See the Profile for Bama Steve   Click here to Send Bama Steve a Private Message       Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #6
What do call the object you just hit if not "flying away from you?"

(I just file out some old 30mm scope rings and get whatever is brightest and cheapest from Home Depot or Lowes - disposable and clamp them on).

I don't really need to look as cool as I think I am, so I don't even try . . .

Good-luck - I'll Shuddup now and let you get some real feedback.

Best!



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J. Armstrong
Wingmanjim
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Old Post July 17, 2010 03:20    Click Here to See the Profile for J. Armstrong   Click here to Send J. Armstrong a Private Message   Click Here to Email J. Armstrong     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #7
I can't offer much objective experience here, and I'm interested in what the knowledgeable have to say here as well.

My theoretical approach figures that in my anticipated situation which would be an indoors defensive environment, I probably don't need a huge or powerful light.I have a Surefire 6P on my Benelli M1S90 with a spare barrel clamp holding the light to the mag tube. The coiled cord swithes seem like a joke, so I'd like to hear recommendations on a good reliable ( and hopefully reasonably priced )switch.

I'm a little leery of inexpensive lights on a hard recoiling shotty, but I would think the current crop of LED lights are more recoil resistant ?

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"The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools" Herbert Spenser

"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." Sigmund Freud

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jimmbob
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Old Post July 17, 2010 03:40    Click Here to See the Profile for jimmbob   Click here to Send jimmbob a Private Message   Click Here to Email jimmbob     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #8
quote:
Originally posted by Bama Steve


I don't really need to look as cool as I think I am, so I don't even try . . .

Good-luck - I'll Shuddup now and let you get some real feedback.



I already look cool enough so I don't really need the "tacticool" look with gadgets mounted all over the place. Just a simple high-quality light that will not shitt out on me after the first shot. ...

Attachment: story 6.jpg
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Bama Steve
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FALaholic # 1982

Old Post July 17, 2010 03:52    Click Here to See the Profile for Bama Steve   Click here to Send Bama Steve a Private Message       Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #9
I got a Chrome plated Loews Speshul flashlight for Xmas a few years ago that is still going strong on a CX4-Storm in .40 cal mounted under and forward in a filed-out 30 mm scope ring.

I catch hell when I bring it out but we all get a big laugh over it.

When it gets serious - it still works, and the laughter stops.

(you got any spare 30mm rigs? - I keep hearing . . .)

But you laughed at my stuff, man!

Yeah, but it works . . . got any spares? . . .

There was an excellent thread on this subject not too long ago but the damn search function here has been disabled due to a lack of interest or funding or something - try throwing some money at it and see if you can find it.





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J. Armstrong
Wingmanjim
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Old Post July 17, 2010 15:30    Click Here to See the Profile for J. Armstrong   Click here to Send J. Armstrong a Private Message   Click Here to Email J. Armstrong     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #10
quote:
Originally posted by Bama Steve

When it gets serious - it still works, and the laughter stops.

Yeah, but it works . . . got any spares? . . .



That's all that counts, Isn't it ?

I love to hear of success stories with less than unobtanium, big bucks tacticool accessories !! Gives my bank account hope

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"The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools" Herbert Spenser

"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." Sigmund Freud

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Artful
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Old Post July 19, 2010 16:34    Click Here to See the Profile for Artful   Click here to Send Artful a Private Message   Click Here to Email Artful     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #11
I have a surefire foreend on my 870 and am happy with it.

But any well contructed LED should hold up to shotty fire.

A lot of use of weaver rail with scope ring to hold flash light on.

cheap and easy - you can get 1" (24.5mm), 30mm and 35mm
rings.

Make sure you line up the light beam with the pattern.

Just look for correct switch to the back/rear of the light, I found some are touch on vs some touch and when released on (not good for instant light).

So make sure the battery compartment isn't straight thru - need to stop the batteries from battering your LED/Bulb. I have a Sam's Club special with springs on both ends of the battery compartment two 3 watt LED's for under $30.00 and if one dies instant backup - I haven't tried on a gun yet as the costco LED special is still going strong but it takes CR123 and the Sams take 3 AAA - cheaper to use which is why I bought it.

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BroncoMafia
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Old Post July 25, 2010 22:50    Click Here to See the Profile for BroncoMafia   Click here to Send BroncoMafia a Private Message   Click Here to Email BroncoMafia     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #12
quote:
Originally posted by jimmbob
What's everyones opinion for the best HIGH quality light for a 12 guage? Money no object, cause ya get what ya pay for pretty much.

Hi Jimmbob.
First of all, you want LED, bot a bulb. Anything not LED should not even make your list.
That out of the way, there are basically 3 options for a light on a shotgun:
OPTION 1:
surefire dedicated forend
This is the most expensive option.
The link to the surefire site above shows the latest and greatest version. It uses an LED and has abandoned the old integrated tape switch they used to provide on the side. Both of those were weak points (I had one of the old ones with a tape switch and 60/90 watt bulbs. It sucked).

OPTION 2:
Mount rail to the existing forend and attach light

OPTION 3:
attach to magazine tube.

Both 2 and 3 can vary as to the type of light and actuation of the light.
These are matters of personal preference.
Type of light:
My favorite it to use a pistol light like the Streamlight TLR-1 mounted to a small section of Pic rail attached to the handguard, actuated with the thumb.

Others may suggest a handheld light in a mount like the
Surefire G2 LED.

Actuation is either tailcap stitch (needs momentary on and click to stay on) or some kind of pressure pad.
My completely biased opinion: Most pressure pads suck.

If I were doing it, I would go with a Streamlight TLR-1 mounted to a small pic rail on the handguard on the weak side where you can naturally hit it with your thumb.

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Vorpal_weapon
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FALaholic # 17016

Old Post July 29, 2010 16:32    Click Here to See the Profile for Vorpal_weapon   Click here to Send Vorpal_weapon a Private Message       Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #13
In an M4, you've got a really nice shotgun - no reason to skimp on the light.

I recommend Surefire lights - G2 LED or a 6P with an LED (actually a 6P with a Malkoff M61 drop in is AWESOME - see my recent review in the review forum). A Malkoff drop-in requires a metal Z44 bezel which is standard on an incandescent 6P but not on the new 6PL. The new 6P LED lights have a sealed LED unit bezel (KX4) which is fine - 120 lumens for 2 hours (Malkoff is 260 lumens for about the same run time).
I highly recommend getting a z49 shrouded, forward-click tail cap. Pressure tape switches don't work well for me.

http://www.surefire.com/6P-Original

http://www.surefire.com/6P-Led

http://www.surefire.com/Click-On-Lock-out-Tailcap-Z49

For a mount, I've had good experience with Vltor scout mounts - they're available at lots of places, Brownells, SKD, Bravo Company, etc. I have the offset version SM-OCG, but recommend the standard in this case.

http://www.skdtac.com/Vltor_Scout_L...tm?1=1&CartID=0

Now you have to have a rail on the shotty. Brownells offers a Tri-Rail mount by laserlyte that clamps on a shotgun mag tube. It will let you mount the light on either side for easy indexing with your off-gun hand (depending on whether you're right or left handed). I'm right handed and prefer an 11 o'clock position (using an offset scout mount).

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=..._Tri_Rail_Mount

This is the set up I plan for my Benelli M1 entry gun.

ETA links for examples

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You knew the job was dangerous when you took it.

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Last edited by Vorpal_weapon on July 30, 2010 at 14:57

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seg
Member
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Old Post August 07, 2010 16:19    Click Here to See the Profile for seg   Click here to Send seg a Private Message       Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #14
I have to say +10 for the Suerfire 870 Forend. 15 yrs now, 4yr frequent use followed by 8 yrs in a vault followed by next to my bed at present IT still works every time and has never failed.

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Right Side Up
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Old Post August 09, 2010 08:34    Click Here to See the Profile for Right Side Up   Click here to Send Right Side Up a Private Message       Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #15
An LED light with something like a Cree XR-E, Cree MC-E, SST-50, or a Seoul P7 is ideal IMO because they all can be direct driven off a single 18650 lithium ion battery. Direct drive means no electronics to regulate power supply. It's how an incan light is set up.

The only problems I've had with an LED flashlight failing was the driver board going out. The Chinese lights are horrible in this area. The Surefires are great. Their electronics are tough.

The problem is, you can't buy a commercially available direct drive light, so you have to build your own, or have someone do it for you.

You need a good *host*. A Surefire 6P is a good choice. Then you need the right LED, and a good P60 reflector. Then you bore the tube for the battery.

There is a guy on Candlepowerforums named Nailbender that can hook you up with the parts you need. Then buy a few AW 18650 batteries and a charger and you'll have a very dependable light that you can trust you life with.

My Colt M4 (that I bought from Mark Powell, may he rest in peace), has a Surefire M500 forend light I converted to an LED light Cree XR-E), and I also installed a Tiablo A9 flashlight under the barrel modded for direct drive as a backup.

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Vorpal_weapon
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Old Post August 10, 2010 16:23    Click Here to See the Profile for Vorpal_weapon   Click here to Send Vorpal_weapon a Private Message       Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #16
For those that are interested - custom SF hosts bored for 18mm Li-ion batteries (e.g. 18500, 18650, etc.) can be purchased from Oveready.com. He also offers them in custom finishes. The 6P hosts in Type III HA I bought from Dan were everything I wanted. I've included a pic for those that appreciate gear porn.

For LED modules, I was looking for a high-quality OTS product (preferably made in the US) that was suitable for on-duty use. As RSU described, the chinese stuff has a very poor reputation for durability. My lights go on fugitive TF and warrant service ops - they've got to be tough.

Malkoff devices P60 sized drop-in light modules (an M61 and an M61W) have been just the ticket. They're regulated for battery output from 3.4 and 9.0 volts (which gives you lots of battery options). Malkoff builds these units in Alabama (using Cree XP-G LEDs in custom solid brass heatsink housing). The quality is impressive - both Gene Malkoff and his products have a solid reputation. They have gotten very favorable reviews in other weapons-related forums as well as CPF. The only real problem is finding them in-stock.

Attachment: sf_6p_1.jpg
This has been downloaded 24 time(s).

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You knew the job was dangerous when you took it.

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wyatt earp
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Old Post August 10, 2010 22:04    Click Here to See the Profile for wyatt earp   Click here to Send wyatt earp a Private Message   Click Here to Email wyatt earp     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #17
Remember a weapon light works both ways. While you are looking for your target you may be in the process of being targeted.

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praharin
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Old Post September 08, 2010 00:42    Click Here to See the Profile for praharin   Click here to Send praharin a Private Message       Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote Post #18
Weapon lights aren't for looking for your target. They are used to create a tactical advantage. Used only intermittently, and very briefly.

Study the modern use of combat lights and you can plainly see that they are actually a hindrance at making you a target, when used properly.


To answer the OP, if money is no object, then get the Surefire rail forend, and the Surefire light of your choice. I recommend the X300, but YMMV.

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